1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a training device for improving a baseball player's skills. More particularly, the present invention relates to a training mat for improving a baseball player's batting stance while positioned within a so-called, “batter's box.” The present invention thus provides users with means to improve upon a baseball player's batting skills by developing proper batting stance technique.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The key to being successful as an offensive baseball player is the ability to successfully hit or make proper contact with pitched or positioned baseballs. The ability to successfully hit a baseball begins with proper balance at home plate and thus it is critical that baseball players learn the basic batting stance. Once the basic batting stance is mastered, the baseball player typically improves upon the basic batting stance in a manner unique to the player as he or she gains batting experience. It is thus noted that there are many stances from which to choose, but the consensus from most hitting coaches is that the basic parallel stance will provide a novice hitter with the best opportunity to hit the ball.
Typically, the baseball player or hitter should take a parallel stance with the feet shoulder width apart in the middle of the appropriate batter's box adjacent home plate. The hitter should not position himself too close to the plate but close enough so that the head of the bat is able to cover the outside corner. The hitter's weight should be on the balls of his or her feet. As a hitter starts a swing, the hitter typically shifts the hitter's weight to the hitter's back leg turning the hitter's hips rearward. During the swinging action, the hitter typically transfers the hitter's center of gravity in a forward direction, shifting the hitter's weight to the hitter's front or forward leg. As the hitter transfers the hitter's weight, the hitter twists the hitter's hips, torso, and knees while also swinging the bat. It is noted that the described hip action is often considered to be the most important factor, since a significant amount of hitting power will come from the hitter's hips. In order to properly twist a hitter's hips, the hitter should rotate the balls of the hitter's feet. Thus, as the hitter sees the ball approaching him, he shifts the weight from his back leg to his front leg as he “steps into the pitch.” He then twists his body, transferring considerable energy to the bat. The hand and the bat initially travel at about 40 mph, but at the point when the bat meets the ball, the hand and the bat will travel in excess of 70 mph. Since the bat is swung at such a high speed, it has been calculated that even 0.01 seconds may make a difference between a home run and a pop out.
It is further noted that parents and coaches are often involved in the process of teaching younger players how to best practice various baseball skills, including batting stance technique. It is also noted, however, that younger baseball players often practice unsupervised. Thus, in an effort to provide players with a means to develop proper batting stance technique, whether supervised or unsupervised, a number of inventors have developed training aids or devices to assist the novice hitter in developing proper batting technique as well as to assist the novice hitter in developing proper batting stance technique. It is thus noted that a variety of different types of batting stance training devices have been developed as a means to aid baseball players in the development of a proper batting stance. Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to batting stance training devices and the like is described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,487 ('487 Patent), which issued to David, discloses a Baseball Stance and Stride Practice Plate. The '487 Patent teaches baseball batting stance and stride practice plate comprising a flat plate with raised ridges forming batter foot guides. One ridge is disposed along the width of the plate and the batter's back foot is disposed against this ridge which is provided with an opening to allow the back foot to swivel during the stride. Two other ridges are disposed across the full width of the plate in laterally spaced apart diagonal direction against which the forward foot of the batter is disposed both before and after he takes his batting stride.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,096 ('096 Patent), which issued to Kile et al., discloses a Batter's Front Foot Guide. The '096 Patent teaches a guide for restricting movement of a batter's foot relative to a batter's box during batting practice comprising track means extending longitudinally of the batter's box, a movable foot piece, means for attaching one of the batter's feet to the foot piece, and resilient connecting means interposed between the foot piece and the track means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,930 ('930 Patent), which issued to Sertich, discloses a Foot Trainer with Adjustable Rotation and Friction Means. The '930 Patent teaches a trainer for sportsmen which is designed to restrict, while guiding, the rotational movement of one of the sportsman's feet. By varying the degree of rotation of the foot and varying the force required to rotate the foot, the trainer adjustably controls the foot of the sportsman during the movement of his body as in striking a golf ball or tennis ball or baseball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,116 ('116 Patent), which issued to Matchick, discloses a Stride-Box. The Patent teaches a batter's training device comprising a sheet material which defines a first pivot foot opening and a second stride foot opening. Means are provided in the stride foot opening for adjusting the distance of the stride foot opening from the pivot foot opening and for adjusting the length of the stride foot opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,580 ('580 Patent), which issued to Lang, discloses a Foot Position Teaching Apparatus for Batting Practice. The '580 Patent teaches a foot positioning apparatus, which is flat, flexible, and easy for anyone to use. A first member and a second member are telescopically attached to each other and the first member is pivotally attached to home plate. A third member is pivotally attached to the second member and the second member has foot alignment devices on each end thereof which are pivotally attached to the third member whereby the entire device can be adjustably pivoted around home plate to accommodate both a left hand and a right hand batter and the batter can be adjusted additionally as to foot and leg positions and distance from home plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,004 ('004 Patent), which issued to Wiseman et al., discloses a Batting Training Device. The '004 Patent teaches a mat marked with first indicia designating home plate and a plurality of second indicia showing sequential segments for the batter to place his or her feet. The Mt may be used alone to achieve a proper batting stance and proper foot positioning in relation to home plate or with at least one measuring means for measuring a point located in the strike zone of the batter identifying the height of a level swing of the bat. This measured specific distance correlates to a proper distance from home plate the batter should distance himself or herself to hit the ball with the “power zone” of the bat with a full arm extension of the leading arm. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,880 ('880 Patent), which also issued to Wiseman et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,001 ('001 Patent), which issued to Pierce, discloses a Foot Position Trainer Apparatus. The '001 Patent teaches a foot positioning training apparatus comprising a foot support member formed in the shape of the sole of a shoe. A toe portion is attached to a front edge of the support member and extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom and defines a space for receiving the toes of a batter's foot and, more particularly, for receiving the toe portion of a batter's shoe. The toe portion restricts vertical movement of a batter's foot when batting a baseball. The apparatus further includes an upstanding wall extending along an outer edge of the support surface between the toe portion and a rear edge for restricting outward lateral movement of a batter's foot when batting a baseball. See also U.S. patent application No. 2002/0091020, published by Pierce.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0130072, authored by Barth et al., discloses a Baseball Batting Stride Device and System, and Method of Using Same. This publication teaches an apparatus for modifying the stride of a baseball batter's swing motion, including means of capturing a lower portion of a baseball batter's foot and means of elastomerically tethering the capturing means to substratum, wherein the batter's leading toes are allowed to stride in any direction essentially free of substantial distal destabilizing hindrance.
From a review of these publications and other prior art generally known in the relevant art, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach a baseball batting stance training system or a baseball batting stance training assembly for use in combination with the home plate region of a baseball field, wherein the baseball batting stance system comprises, in combination, a baseball field, a substantially planar stance training mat for placement upon the home plate region of the baseball field, and at least one rearward foot-receiving cuff for removable or breakaway attachment to the stance training mat. It will be further seen that the prior art patents do not teach a stance training mat that is substantially rectangular and planar in design and constructed from a compliant, low memory material that comprises a superior mat surface, an inferior mat surface, and at least three distinct zones. In this last regard, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach a stance training mat comprising three distinct zones defined by a left mat zone, a right mat zone, and a home plate zone wherein the home plate zone comprises home plate marker means or a virtual home plate and the left and right mat zones each comprise foot print indicia.
Still further it will be seen that the prior art does not teach foot print indicia wherein the same are defined by forward foot markers and rearward foot markers, the rearward foot markers comprising structure for receiving a breakaway foot-receiving cuff. The prior art also does not teach a foot-receiving cuff that is designed to properly position the rearward foot, but which cuff may be detached from the stance training mat in a breakaway manner given a sufficient cuff-removing force so as to prevent unfortunate injury to the user.
The prior art thus perceives a need for a baseball batting stance system comprising, in combination, a baseball field, a substantially planar stance training mat for placement upon the home plate region of the baseball field, and at least one rearward foot-receiving cuff for removable or breakaway attachment to the stance training mat. Further, the prior art perceives a need for a stance training mat that is substantially rectangular and planar in design and constructed from a compliant, low memory material comprising a superior mat surface, an inferior mat surface, and at least three distinct zones. In this last regard, it will be seen that the prior art perceives a need for a stance training mat comprising three distinct zones defined by a left mat zone, a right mat zone, and a home plate zone so that users thereof may selectively learn or develop proper batting stance technique on either side of a home plate zone.
Further, the prior art perceives a need for left and right mat zones aligned laterally opposite a home plate zone wherein the left and right mat zones each comprise foot print indicia defined by forward foot markers and rearward foot markers. The prior art perceives a further need for rearward foot markers that comprise structure for receiving a breakaway foot-receiving cuff. The prior art thus further perceives a need for a foot-receiving cuff designed to properly position the rearward foot, while providing breakaway attachment means for detaching the cuff from the stance raining mat in a breakaway manner given sufficient cuff-removing forces so as to prevent unfortunate injury to the user.